Head coach Steve Cooper was pleased with how new signing Danilo coped with some tough circumstances on his Nottingham Forest debut.
A few days after making the move from Palmeiras, the 21-year-old gave a good account of himself when he came on just before half-time against Bournemouth on Saturday, with the Reds 1-0 down. He played a part in the visitors’ equaliser, too, as they came from behind to rescue a point.
But while he has impressed early on, Cooper wants to give the highly-rated youngster chance to settle in his new surroundings. And he is keen not to “get too carried away” with the excitement which Danilo putting pen to paper at the City Ground generated.
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“I was impressed, because of the circumstances around him coming,” Cooper said of Danilo’s substitute appearance on the south coast. “He had only been in the country a few days, it was a big move from him, in terms of how far it is, the language and the weather - which the Brazilians love, by the way! And then to go to an away game, to be 1-0 down and then to put him on, is a tough circumstance for a young lad to make his Premier League debut. So to go on and play as he did, is something that he needed.
“We’ve had a lot of new faces in this season, some of those guys are experienced and have played at a really good level - Remo Freuler, for example, has played in World Cups, Euros and Champions League games, and even he has said English football is different and you need to get used to it.
“That was a really interesting thing to hear. It’s something I’m really mindful of now when these guys come who haven’t played in the Premier League or in England; don’t take it for granted that they’re going to be up to speed.
“Renan (Lodi) is a good example of that. We’re really happy with Renan. He’s played a lot of games for Atletico Madrid and played for Brazil; there can be an assumption that these guys can just come and play. They can, of course, but it might be a little bit of a rocky road along the way.
“Going back to Danilo, it was really important to get him on the pitch and for him to feel the pace and the tempo. He did well and certainly made a good impression.
“There’s no guarantees, and let’s not get too carried away. Let’s not get too caught up in the excitement of a good talent coming from Brazil and the assumption that he’s just going to be amazing. We hope he is, and we’ll be working so hard with him to do that. But let’s give him a chance, let him settle and develop.
“Let’s let him make mistakes and go and excel, because that’s what young players do - I see it with Morgan (Gibbs-White), with Brennan (Johnson) and with Neco (Williams), and I’ve seen it many times before working with young players.
“The reality is, for young players, the lows, the disappointing moments and the mistakes can be the most important bits to get them where they want to be. Let’s be calm and let him settle in.”
Danilo followed fellow Brazilians Lodi and former Palmeiras teammate Gustavo Scarpa in joining Forest. The latter’s contract officially kicked in this month, although he had linked up with the squad in December, while Lodi is on a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid. All three have quickly got to grips with what it means to wear the Garibaldi, though.
“My first impressions are that they are real humble guys, who love football and love training,” Cooper said. “They are really trying to be part of the culture and the team. And they are really excited to be here.
“But I also see - and this is what I want - a determination to do well. All three of them are aware of the size of the club and the history of the club.
“Renan has been with us a while now. It was great to get Gustavo playing as quick as we did - and two of those games being at the City Ground, and starts as well, so we could go through the whole process of how it feels to be a Forest player at home.
“Hopefully Danilo gets that chance as well. I’m sure he will. They are part of the current Nottingham Forest team then, representing the club and the badge as best they can.
“We’re looking forward to working with them. It’s a great opportunity for me and the staff as well, to work with these guys, along with everyone else.
“Everyone is different, and I do like to know about players’ backgrounds and roots, and what their motivations are. The motivation comes from within; it’s not given to somebody, it’s got to be something that matters to you personally, and we’re all different. I like players to really find that, and I like to understand it, because when you know a player’s motivation - and when the players know each other’s motivations - that’s when you really support each other and get each other’s backs. We do get into that from time to time.
“At the moment, with Danilo and Gustavo, I’m just backing off a little bit and letting them settle, to feel happy and give them whatever we can to get ready for games without overpowering them or giving too much information. They are here because they can play, and I want their minds to be free.”
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